Is Sandlot Based On A True Story? What Movie Lovers Must Know

It’s always great to watch a fantastic movie – the type that is never outdated. That’s the feeling you get watching Sandlot. The film is a classic coming-of-age movie, with a mix of childhood nostalgia and baseball.

Since 1993, Sandlot has become a cult classic. Its touch of comedy and its young cast has had a lasting effect on viewers’ hearts for a long time.

If you’ve watched the movie, you may wonder if it’s based on a true story. Well, you’re at the right place. That is because this article centers on “The Sandlot.”

After reading this post, you’ll know if Sandlot is based on a true story. You’ll also learn facts about the film, including where the casts are today. Let’s dive right in!

Is Sandlot Based On A True Story?

Yes, Sandlot was based on a true story. Some scenes in the film were inspired by a true story, with few alterations. However, other scenes were fiction.

David Mickey Evans (director) ‘s childhood inspired the movie. He played baseball in the summer while he was growing up, as the film depicts the kids. A memory from his childhood formed a scene.

Evan’s brother wanted to win a place in the neighborhood baseball team. So he decided to retrieve their ball that went over a wall. On the other side, he met a dangerous dog, Hercules. But unlike the movie version, the dog bit his brother.

Hercules (The Beast) portrayed the dog from Evan’s childhood. But he altered the dog’s role a bit, as he befriended the kids rather than bite anyone.

Additionally, the character Wendy Pettercorn was also inspired by a real story. Just like Squint’s crushing on her, Evans and his friends admired pretty lifeguards. And most of them were blondes who wore red swimsuits. He recalled one called Bunny.

However, the scene that involved Squint pretending to drown so he could kiss Wendy was fiction. It was more like Evan’s childhood desire.

Facts About The Sandlot

Production:

It only took 42 days to shoot the movie. The filming location was in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Additionally, the weather was hot during the period. And the temperature often got to about 111 degrees Fahrenheit. However, it was cold when they shot the pool scene at about 55 degrees.

Movie Title:

The original name for the movie was “The Boys of Summer.” But the producer changed it because there’s already a popular book with the same title.

The oak tree:

The treehouse from the Sandlot was a big oak tree. But it wasn’t there before the filming started. Evans and the crew spent time looking for a big tree that would make a good fit for a treehouse.

Finally, the team saw a man chopping down the tree. They asked for it, and the man let them have it. They hauled the tree to their filming location and cemented it to the ground. And that gave birth to the oak treehouse in the movie.

Hercules:

In some parts of the movie, a massive puppet dog played the role of the giant dog, Hercules. However, they used a natural dog for some scenes. The crew smeared baby food on Smalls’ face to get the dog to lick his face.

Casting:

The directors intended the actors to be between 9 to 10 years old. However, they realized it wasn’t a good decision. So they moved it up to the 12 or 13 age range. And they saw during the auditions that it was a better choice.

A Lawsuit:

The Sandlot caused a lawsuit in 1998. Michael Plydoros sued the film producers and 20th Century Fox. He claimed that the “Squints” character was based on him, as Evans’ former classmate. He sued them for defamation, saying it caused him humiliation and shame.

However, the case ended in favor of the movie producers. And filmmakers could then use characters that real people inspire.

Uncredited characters:

Two characters were not credited. The first is Arliss Howard, who played adult Scott Smalls. And the other is David Mickey Evans, who was the voice of Scott, the narrator.

Where Are The Sandlot Cast Now?

The Sandlot ended with a narration of where each of the characters ended up. So, let’s explore where they are now in real life. Here we go!

Mike Vitar:

He played the character Benjamin Franklin “Benny the Jet” Rodriguez. Well, he didn’t become a baseball player professionally, and his acting career was short-lived.

Before his role in Sandlot, Mike Vitar acted in “Brooklyn Bridge” and “Diplomatic Immunity.” After Sandlot, he made a few appearances on TV shows and co-starred in the Mighty Ducks films.

Vitar stepped down from the acting career after his role in “Chicago Hope” in 1997. And he became a firefighter in 2002 and remained on the job to date.

Tom Guiry:

Tom played the character Scotty Smalls in “The Sandlot.” He went on with acting and starred in some high-profile films. Some of them include “The Revenant,” “Mystic River,” and “Black Hawk Down.”

Tom Guiry was also part of TV series like “The Black Donnellys” and “Law & Order.” His recent acting roles are in “Sollers Point,” “Wonder Wheel,” and “Roe v. Wade.”

Chauncey Leopardi:

He played Michael “Squints” Palledorous. But Sandlot wasn’t his first film, as he acted in roles since he was five. He also starred in films like “Freaks and Geeks” and “Gilmore Girls.” His recent role was in “Coldwater” in 2013.

Patrick Renna:

Patrick Renna played Hamilton “Ham” Porter in Sandlot. He starred in films like “The Big Green” and “Sometimes They Come Back… Again.”

Patrick Renna also made appearances in several TV series. Some of them include “The X-Files” and “Boston Legal.” More recent roles are “Fear, Inc.” in 2016 and “GLOW” in 2018.

Marty York:

He played the role, Alan “Yeah-Yeah” McClennan in Sandlot. After that, he acted in “Boy Meets World” and “Due Justice.” He also appeared in “The Eric Andre Show” and some TV series.

Brandon Adams:

He played Kenny DeNunez in Sandlot. Before that, he played Jimmy Bean in the film “Polly” in 1989. He starred in “The People Under the Stairs” in1991 and “The Mighty Ducks” in 1992.

Brandon Adams also starred in films and TV series after Sandlot. Some of them are “Sister, Sister,” “Moesha,” and “MacArthur Park.” He was in “Kingdom Hearts II” in 2005 as the voice of Rai.

Grant Gelt:

His role in Sandlot was Bertram Grover Weeks. He acted in “Avalon” and “Northern Exposure” before that. Other acting roles include Spencer in “Boy Meets World” and Jimmy Dunbar in “The ’60s.” However, he’s now a Music Manager.

Victor Dimattia:

He played Timmy Timmons in Sandlot. His previous roles were in “Dennis the Menace” in 1987 and “Cool as Ice” in 1991. He was the voice of Dylan Taylor in “Adventures in Odyssey.”

Victor Dimattia starred in “Get Married or Die” in 2018. And more recently, he played Kid Vlad in “Death Rider in the House of Vampires.” He directed some short films, which include “Buck McMaan: American Sumo.”

Shane Obedzinski:

Shane played Tommy “Repeat” Timmons. He starred in “My Girl” in 1991 and “Matinee” in 1993. He was in 2 episodes of “Swamp Thing” and “Clarissa Explains It All.” He was also in a short film, “Space Gila from the Deep,” in 2017.

However, Obedzinski left acting and has a pizza shop in Florida. But he usually appears in Sandlot reunion events.

Marley Shelton:

Marley’s role was Wendy Peffercorn, the pretty lifeguard in Sandlot. She also starred in “Sin City,” “Valentine,” “Never Been Kissed,” and “Grindhouse.” Her recent roles were in “Solace” in 2015 and “Rampage” in 2018.

Marley Shelton appeared in TV series like “Eleventh Hour” and “The Lottery. More recent ones were “Dirty John” in 2019 and “Manhunt” in 2020.

Denis Leary:

He played Bill, who was Scott Smalls’ Stepdad. Before his role in Sandlot, he was a stand-up comedian. He also acted in some notable films like “Demolition Man,” “The Ref,” and “Judgment Night.”

Denis Leary played roles in notable films and voiced animated characters. He’s also a producer and produced several TV shows and movies.

Karen Allen:

Karen played Scott’s Mom in Sandlot. She had notable roles in “Animal House” in 1978 and “Raiders of the Lost Ark” in1981. She also had previous stage performances.

Allen’s recent roles are in “Colewell” (2019) and “Things Heard & Seen” (2021).

James Earl Jones:

He played Mr. Mertle in Sandlot. His acting career spans over seven decades. Due to his incredible voice, he did many voice acting projects, live-action acting, and commercial voice-overs.

James Earl Jones performed in several Shakespeare plays. He was well-known as the voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars (1977 to 1983).

More recently, Jones reprised some of his previous roles. They include “Rogue One” in 2016, “The Lion King” in 2019, and “Coming 2 America” in 2021.

Conclusion

A true story inspired Sandlot. It was based on David Mickey Evans’s childhood, and he directed the movie. Even though some parts of the film are based on a real story, others are fictional.

The moviemaker shot the film in 42 days and wanted to call it “The Boys of Summer.” They even went through a lawsuit for defamation. But despite all these, the movie remained popular. And some of the actors who played roles in Sandlot are still recognized today.